Today opening stock is at an all-time high from the six-week period I’ve been tracking it. At $28.00 it has gone up from the lowest point of $21.00 a few weeks prior. Over the six-week period I noticed that for the most part it stayed in the mid-twenty range. At one point, it did drop to the low of $21, and now at my last week of tracking it is at its highest point. There doesn’t seem to be any obvious reason for the spike as far as the news on the brand goes, however, they did just debut a new advertising strategy as well as a their 90th anniversary celebration this year.

FLORENCE, ITALY – Gucci Museo opens in Florence, Italy in celebration of the luxury brand’s nearly centennial anniversary since opening in 1921. The decadent museum is located inside the historic Palazzo della Mercanzia in Florence’s Piazza Signoria. Along with multiple exhibitions of historic artifacts there is also an icon store, bookshop, cafe and gift shop inside the Gucci Museo for Gucci enthusiasts to enjoy. The Gucci Museo was designed to create a “destination location” for visitors while exploring the museum. The museum is dived into the varying themes of the Gucci brand, all inspired by iconic motifs and symbols throughout the years.

Gucci has classic equestrian roots so it only makes sense if they had a line extension to include riding kits for those elite riders of style. Products for horseback riders and jockeys by Gucci could be pants, jackets, riding boots, and accessories; all for function of course, yet still undeniably chic. The brand has come to be known by its iconic red and green stripe, which was developed in the fifties, almost as highly recognizable as their initial logo. The classic stripe draws inspiration from the canvas girth strap used to hold saddles in place while riding on horseback. Gucci already has some experience with modern equestrian style as current creative director of the brand Frida Giannini designed a custom riding kit for both Monaco royalty Charlotte Casiraghi, and Olympic Australian-rider Edwina Alexander in 2010. I think making it a branding decision to create a line of riding gear would be an interesting take on the luxury lifestyle brand.

Charlotte Casiraghi by Mario Testino

Pants could be sleek and sophisticated in traditional khaki, or even a few variations upon khaki such as olive and taupe. I imagine the pants could embody the classic Gucci symbol and have the green and red stripe going down the side of the pant-leg. Depending on how they sit or affect the actual riding, gusset side pockets would add a stylish contrast to the otherwise simple pant. Riding boots and interpretations of the boot have been widely popular for many years for its’ sleek and classic lines, as well as functionality. Gucci can definitely take advantage of this with their availability of luxury goods and embark on a new fashion enterprise.

It is almost ironic when Frida Giannini says she hardly looked back in the archives for inspiration for her Spring 2012 ready-to-wear line. The collection is a beautiful rendition of the 1920s Jazz Age, modernized into the current glam Gucci woman. This year marks the fashion house’s 90th anniversary, from its debut in 1921 by Guccio Gucci. I would say this collection is an homage to the opening of the brand, a part of the mass celebration Gucci is hosting in honor of their almost centennial anniversary. Each piece from the Spring line has some part the Jazz Age influenced into it, whether it be the black smooth velvet or the swinging of the pleats in the low-slung dresses. Garments are detailed with gold lacquered buttons, metallic accents, long sweeping fringe, and heavy beading. These elements combined show the influence Frida Giannini put into creating the collection as she pulled from the historic head-lining women of the era, such as Louise Brooks who Giannini sites as a reference. The colors also reflect on the historic era, keeping in a black and gold theme with only bits of colors popping in throughout. Gold metallics showcase the collection next to the opaque black fabrics. Art deco motifs added to the historic feel. One of my personal favorites from the line includes the number where the pants are intricately displayed with two horse heads on either side of the pant legs. Pieces like these make it feel as if you could find them hidden in a vintage thrift store, yet they still emulate what the modern Gucci woman is. Giannini always manages to incorporate those quintessential Gucci details in every collection, no matter the story behind the line. For example, the cropped tuxedo jackets help modernize the iconic flapper dresses and harem pants. The bold accessories also aid in making the looks feel more current.

Gianni described the Fall RTW line as “hippie-chic”, and while I get that from the bright florals sprinkled throughout the collection I definitely got a more 1930s Marlene Dietrich type of influence. The heavy tweed and wool pant and skirt suits accessorized with punchy fedoras and fur stoles gave me a “gangster gone classy” vibe. The thigh-high glossy boots add just the right amount of hardcore femininity that the Gucci woman loves. However you want to describe it, the collection was widely accepted either way. Rosie Huntington-Whitely and Jennifer Lopez are both Gucci bombshells that rocked the Fall RTW looks, showing that even though the collection might have seemed a bit dramatic, it’s something that strill grabs the attention of the A-listers in Hollywood. The black chiffon fabric combined with the deep hues of floral appliques were stunning to see striding down the runway combined with the burgundy lips sported by the models.

The Spring 2011 Ready to Wear line was an undeniable success. Celebrities flaunted the brightly colored silks at red-carpet premieres non-stop. Frida encapsulated the essential Gucci woman with this line by combining all the various aspects involved. There was an almost Indian/Bollywood inspiration* from the opening pieces with their striking colors of burnt orange, royal purple, Sirulian blue and kelly green, all with a touch of gold accents. There was also that element of trailblazer in the collection with some of the numbers looking more like a chic Indian vacationer adorned in a khaki lapel jacket. The blouse in this number is especially appealing with its distressed shreds of material and hanging tassels. The high-gloss Ruby red lips add to the sophistication of the look. The distressed shredded look continues onto the darker looks in the collection. A personal favorite is modeled on Daphne Groenveld, the slouchy pockets applied the slim black trousers look cool and city chic just as much as they do Indian or Moroccan. Viewers can definitely note the foreign influence in all the pieces, heavily in the accessories.

*[Giannini cited a recent trip to Morocco as the start of the Spring line’s creation]

Gucci recognizes their 90th anniversary as a brand this year, and their doing plenty to celebrate. Just one of the exciting new ventures includes a capsule collection designed by creative director, Frida Giannini entitled the 1921 Collection. Each unique piece in the collection pays homage to the history and founding of Gucci, including a reinvention of the classic Bamboo bag of the 1920s. The specialty pieces with be made of calfskin and crocodile in an assortment of colors including dark brown, pink, bottle green, khaki, and cherry. The 1921 Collection will also carry a specialized trademark on each piece, G. Gucci Firenze 1921. Accessories in the line will also get a trademark stamp.

The Gucci Group has recently implemented a new strategy to the marketing of their brand – including prices in promotional ads. The luxury marketing website Luxury Daily reports on the issue. The brand, like most luxury lifestyle brands out there, generally do not denote prices of products in their advertisements. Gucci may get a big return out of this new marketing venture though, seeing as their ads appear on the New York Times website, which generates a segment of consumers particularly fitting for the brand. In addition to being a great outlet for their target market, The New York Times is currently number five on the list of top online newspapers in the country, attracting millions of viewers monthly. The Gucci ads are displayed all-around the homepage, including the header of the website. The key to these advertisements is the interactive approach, consumers can scroll over a picture from an ad and a dropbox will appear with product details, including the price. James Dean, the VP and head of luxury practice at WealthEngine, Betheseda, MD, thinks that this is a great tool to promote new products, but worries some consumers may be turned off by it. With luxury brands usually withholding prices in their promotion, Dean comments that some people may react negatively to the ads which will decrease their chances of ever going to Gucci’s actual website. Even with the risk, others may be following suit soon, seeing as Oscar de la Renta and Calvin Klein have both similarly started advertising interactively on Vogue.com.

What’s It All About

Hello all, my name is Elena Hawkenson and I am the author of GUCG Unraveled. This blog is a project for the Fashion Branding class I'm in. Hope you enjoy the information on all things Gucci.
Thanks for reading!